Suspect in kidnapping and murder tagged with additional charges

PALMER — A grand jury has returned additional charges against Devin Peterson stemming from a July 22, 2016, incident in Wasilla. Peterson, one of five teens charged in the November, 2016, kidnapping and murder of 16-year old David Grunwald, was arraigned in Palmer Superior Court Thursday on one felony count of exploitation of a minor-making child porn.

Jordan Santistevan, alleged to have been in the video found on a cell phone, was also arraigned Thursday on felony counts of second-degree sexual assault and second-degree sexual abuse of a minor.

A Jan. 12 indictment alleges that Peterson had "...intent to produce a live performance...that visually or aurally depicted... sexual (violation with) a child under 18."

The grand jury alleged Santistevan "...engaged in sexual (violation with) a person who the offender knew was incapacited and/or who the offender knew was unaware that a sexual act was being committed. The second count against Santistevan alleges "...the victim was (13-15 years old) and at least four years younger than the offender."

Peterson, 18, was indicted by a grand jury Dec. 9, 2016, on three felony counts of evidence tampering and one felony count of hindering prosecution in the Grunwald case. He remained jailed on a $100,000 bail on those charges.

On Jan. 6, Peterson was indicted on six counts of possession of child pornography and one count of distributing indecent materials to a minor. That indictment alleges Peterson was in possession of six different images of child pornography and that he sent a picture of his genitalia to a person under the age of 16. The court denied bail on the Jan. 12 charges and added an additional $5,000 bail on the Jan. 6 charges.

Santistevan, who was arraigned in district court in Fairbanks Jan. 4 on the first-degree sexual assault charge, was arraigned on the remaining charges in Palmer.

According to Alaska State Troopers, officers investigating Grunwald's murder seized a suspect's phone and found a July 22, 2016, video. The video showed a male, who police allege is the 22-year-old Santistevan, engaged in sex with a 15-year-old girl who appeared to be passed out.

According to the indictment, two persons under the age of 18, along with the investigating troopers and one other person were witnesses in the grand jury hearing.